Farmers help gardaí search for crime gang

GARDAÍ have appealed to the public in North Cork and East Kerry for assistance in helping to track down a gang that managed to evade a large-scale search operation which involved local gardaí, landowners on quad bikes, and army drones.

Gardaí were alerted when they received reports of a silver Volkswagen GTI acting suspiciously in the Knocknagree area near the Kerry border around midday last Friday and gardaí from Millstreet responded to the reports.

Gardaí arrived on the scene just as the gang was fleeing after breaking into two houses near Knocknagree Church at around 1pm.

As the gang fled the scene of the crime they threw coins stolen in the burglaries at the garda car, smashing its windscreen and causing damage to the vehicle. A pursuit of the gang ensued as garda cars from Cork West, Cork North, Kerry and Limerick Garda Divisions all assisted in the efforts to apprehend the culprits.

They caught up with the gang near a windfarm at Gneeves, south of Millstreet, where they abandoned their car and fled on foot into forestry.

Gardaí were assisted by local landowners on quad bikes in the search operation to apprehend the criminal gang.

GARDAÍ have appealed to the public in North Cork and East Kerry for assistance in helping to track down a gang who managed to flee into forestry and evade a large-scale search operation which involved local gardaí, landowners on quad bikes, and army drones searching for them.

Gardaí were alerted when they received reports of a silver Volkswagen GTI acting suspiciously in the Knocknagree area near the Kerry border around midday last Friday and gardai from Millstreet responded to the reports.

Gardaí arrived on the scene just as the gang was fleeing after breaking into two houses near Knocknagree Church around 1pm.

As the gang fled the scene of the crime they threw coins stolen in the burglaries at the garda car, smashing its windscreen and causing damage to the vehicle.

Gardaí were uninjured and gave pursuit to the gang who drove off at speed with garda cars from Cork West, Cork North, Kerry and Limerick Garda Divisions all assisting in the efforts to apprehend the culprits involved.

They caught up with the gang near a windfarm at Gneeves south of Millstreet where they abandoned their car and fled on foot into forestry where gardai were assisted by local farmers on quad bikes in the search operation to apprehend the criminal gang.

The search continued for a number of hours but gardaí were unable to track down the gang and they called off the search at around 8pm on Friday evening.

Gardaí maintained a presence at the forestry overnight and on Saturday, they were assisted by army personnel who deployed drones in an effort to locate the suspects but this too failed to apprehend the gang.

The investigation is continuing but so far gardaí have failed to find the gang but the car, which was fitted with false number plates, has been removed for a forensic examination by garda technical experts and gardai are confident of being able to identify the gang.

Gardaí are seeking the public’s help as well and are asking anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the Knocknagree area on Friday and later around Gneeves, Millstreet, Rathmore or Ballyvourney is asked to contact Macroom Garda Station on 026-20590.